In the Family Way
by pleurocoelus
Summary: Ginny Potter, Hermione Weasley, and Hannah Longbottom all have pregnancy checkups around the same time, so they decide to make a day of it. Meanwhile, their husbands are having a dads-to-be day out as well. Harry and Ginny are both nervous about their meetings with friends, for completely different reasons. Written for the "Married Lives Challenge" over on SIYE.


_A/N: I wrote this for the "Married Lives Challenge" on SIYE. The timeline of pregnancies is not compatible with the canon timeline, as per my understanding of the challenge requirements._

_Warning: Contains references to the Dursleys' abuse of Harry._

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I mean it, Harry," Ginny said. "Go. You haven't had any time to blow off steam in a while."

"You do realize, Ginny, that if the three of us get together, you may have to drag us home by our ears."

"Yes," Ginny chuckled. "Now go. From what Hermione told me, Ron and Neville are probably already there. I don't need you fawning over me during this check-up."

Harry kissed his wife. "I know I don't _need_ to be there. I _want_ to be there. Besides, it's not you I'm fawning over, it's your little passenger." Harry bent down and kissed his wife's belly which was showing obvious signs of her pregnancy.

"Fine, Harry. I'll be blunt. We were hoping to have a bit of girl time, just the three of us and our 'passengers.' I don't know Hannah as well as the rest of you do and I would like to get to know her better, since she _is_ married to one of your best mates."

Harry chuckled. "Neville and Hannah. I didn't see that one coming. It looked for a while like Neville and Luna were dancing around each other. When that fell apart, Neville... I don't know. Maybe that was just..." Harry shrugged. "Then Neville and Hannah were sharing sundaes at Fortescue's for all the world to see. They'd been pretty good friends all through Hogwarts, I guess something was there none of us saw. Anyway. I'll just grab my wand and then I'll be our of your hair."

Harry moved off to their bedroom and Ginny sat down to wait for him. He took a while, so Ginny figured that he had probably stopped off at the loo. When a couple more minutes had passed and he still hadn't returned, Ginny decided to check on her husband.

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She walked into their bedroom to find her husband seated on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. "Harry, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't think I should go," Harry said with a weary edge to his voice.

"Harry, you need this. You haven't had any time with your mates in ages. I know Ron has been looking forward to this. Neville has too, from what I've heard. They need to see you as much as you need to see them. You don't need to..." Ginny broke off as Harry lifted his head and she could see the drained look on his face.

"I know, Gin. I know. It's just... I'm... I don't feel like going."

Ginny's heart broke for her husband. He always put on such a brave face in public, even around family, but in private, all his insecurities came out. Years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his only living family coupled with the countless experiences in dealing with Tom and his minions had really hurt Harry in a deep and abiding way. It had taken Harry a lot of effort to open up to her, even this much.

"Harry, I know." Ginny took a deep breath. "I also know that you need this. It'll be hard at first, but once you get there, you'll have a great time. It's good for you."

"I know that. My brain keep telling me that. It's like I have an 'inner Hermione' telling me how an auror needs relief from all the stress." Harry laughed half-heartedly. "But when I go to stand up, I just can't move. I don't want to move. I just want to sit here forever."

Ginny thought a moment before replying. Harry had always been uncommunicative. Part of that was just being a male, but his life had unfortunately taught him to be guarded emotionally.

"Harry, you'll be fine. It's just like a locomotive. It takes a while to get up to speed. Once you get out of here, you'll have a great time." Ginny kissed her husband on the forehead. "Come on, let me help you stand."

"I thought that was the other way around. I'm supposed to help you stand," Harry said with a smirk.

Ginny mock-slapped her husband on the shoulder. "I'm not _that_ pregnant yet, Harry Potter!" She sat down and put on a face of false anger.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. Ginny had such a great sense of humour. She was able to read him so well and usually knew what it took to snap him out of his moods, whether humour, a good dose of yelling, or a passionate kiss.

Ginny faked indignation. "You know better than to mock a pregnant woman."

"Of course, at least until the last month or so where she's waddling. Then it's easy to get away before she can hex you."

Ginny smiled, knowing that she had managed to get her husband to snap out of his down mood, at least for now. Who knows when the next one would come around.

"What, no reaction from the indignant pregnant woman?"

"No, Ginny replied, "I'm just worried about meeting with Hannah. I don't know her as well as you did since I was in a different year. You may have been in different houses, but at least you had classes together. I only know her from the DA and not very well at that. What if she doesn't like me? I don't think she's psychotic or anything, Neville would have married someone like that, but what if she doesn't like me."

"You're repeating yourself, Ginny," Harry replied. "You'll do fine. I mean, I don't really know her that well either. We didn't really get along until the DA. Between that whole 'Harry is the Heir of Slytherin' fiasco and then the Hufflepuffs' anger at my supposed theft of Cedric's glory, she was kind of snide to me here and there. Things have been better since we all united against the Toad in the DA, but we were never more than just civil acquaintances. Besides, I'm sure she's just as nervous about meeting you."

Ginny stood. "Well then, nothing to do but face it like a Gryffindor."

Harry smiled back at her. "Thanks Gin. You always know what to say to get me out of my moods."

"Not always," she replied, "But I'm trying."

Harry stood. "So what kinds of 'girl time' do you have planned?"

"Hermione's in charge, so I don't know completely, but she did mention pedicures."

"Just what the healer ordered, no doubt."

"I'd rather have a foot massage. They're beginning to feel the presence of my passenger."

"Well, if Hermione didn't arrange one, I could manage to give you one," Harry replied.

"Ooooh! I like that. Or you could give me one anyway, or you could give me twenty anyway."

Harry kissed his wife's forehead. Anything for the mother of my child."

By this time, they had arrived at the fireplace to floo to their respective destinations. Harry and Ginny exchanged a kiss that started small, but quickly grew. It probably would have not have ended if Ginny had not broken away.

"Harry, we need to go."

Harry huffed in annoyance. "I love you, Gin." He bent down and kissed his wife's belly. "I love you too little one." He stepped to the floo and with a green flame, he departed to Ron and Hermione's house.

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Ginny arrived at St. Mungo's to find Hermione waiting for her. The two sisters-in-law hugged.

"I thought you'd be in there still," Ginny told her sister-in-law and friend. "Did you get out early or are you still waiting?"

"No," Hermione replied. "Somebody cancelled earlier and so they were able to fit in our appointments early. Hannah will probably be getting out soon."

Ginny got an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to make you wait."

"It'll be fine Ginny. Hannah and I will wait for you. She's been nervous about getting to know you."

"Really," Ginny chuckled, "I was just telling Harry about how nervous I was about getting to know Hannah."

Hermione's reply was cut short when the receptionist called for Ginny to come back for her check-up.

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Ginny's check-up went well. She emerged to find Hermione and Hannah chatting amiably. They both stood with only moderate difficulty to greet her.

After their greetings, Ginny turned to her sister-in-law. "So what have you planned for us, Hermione."

"There's a day spa near where my parents live that my mum used to take me to for girl time. We're going there."

"What's a day spa?" asked Hannah.

"It's something they really need to have in the Magical world, as far as I'm concerned," answered Ginny. "Hermione took me to one before Harry and I got married. They have all sorts of beauty treatments to pamper you."

"This is that same one we used then. They have a foot massage that you will definitely want to get."

"Oh, you just convinced me," said Hannah. I'm starting to feel the pregnancy in my feet and I could use a good foot massage."

"That's what I thought too," Hermione replied with a conspiratorial grin.

"How are we getting there?" Hannah asked. "This is a Muggle place, right?"

"My parents are on the floo network. I got them connected when Ron and I found out about this little one." Hermione rubbed her belly affectionately. "My mum has agreed to drive us there from their house and pick us up when we're done."

With that, the three pregnant witched flooed to the Granger residence. They were greeted by both of the Grangers who were expecting them.

"Mum, Dad, you remember Ginny Potter, my sister-in-law."

Ginny greeted Hermione's parents in the Weasley tradition, with a strong hug.

Hermione continued: "This is Hannah Longbottom. She was in my year at Hogwarts and is married to Neville, who stood up with Ron at our wedding."

"Yes, we remember," replied Mrs. Granger. "It's good to meet you, Hannah. It just seems like yesterday when we were expecting Hermione. We had thought we wouldn't be able to have children for so long, but then our little miracle came along."

Mr. Granger interjected: " I suppose it really was a miracle." He pantomimed waving a wand.

The group laughed.

"Well, we must be off," Mrs. Granger announced. She herded the three witches to the car.

The four women chatted light-heartedly during the whole drive. They arrived safely and thanked Mrs. Granger for the ride.

Hermione turned to her two friends. "Now there's no need to be nervous. Did you know that you both told me that you were nervous about getting to know the other. Honestly, you're both good people. You have nothing to worry about. If you want something to worry about, our husbands are together doing who knows what. There's no telling what state we'll find them in when we're done."

The three laughed. Ginny and Hannah looked at each other and smiled.

"So," Hannah asked as they walked into the day spa. "What's it like being married to Harry?"

"It has it's challenges, but I wouldn't trade it for anything, especially now." Ginny caressed her belly.

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_A/N: That's all I have for this one. I consider it complete as of now, but you never know if the plot bunny will strike with another chapter. Go ahead and follow, just in case, if you want. However, __I am not a woman, nor have I ever been to a day spa, so don't expect any detail on what happens there._

_My headcanon of Harry is that he does suffer some lingering emotional effects of the Dursley's abuse._

_You should really read "No More Secrets" by sbmcneil. It's a powrful oneshot of Harry as an Auror dealing with domestic abuse cases._


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